Gas safety

This advice is designed to provide basic guidance to consumers. It is not a complete or authoritative statement of the law.

Gas, in all forms, can be a dangerous product which is why installers must be competent and any products which use it as a fuel are strictly controlled.

Instructions about using all gas appliances must be provided to ensure you know how to use the appliance, because if used incorrectly it can lead to fires, explosions or poisoning from Carbon monoxide.

How Trading Standards help

Gas appliances are any product which uses gas to work. This includes mains gas appliances like cookers, fridges and central heating boilers. Bottled gas appliances like barbeques, camping stoves, patio heaters and lanterns. All gas appliances must have a data plate attached to them with information about manufacturer, technical information and a CE mark.

All new gas appliances for sale in the EU must have passed a number of safety tests carried out by an independent testing laboratory.

If you have a new gas appliance which is not CE marked or is not working as the instruction suggests then contact Trading Standards.

We can check whether the manufacturer has carried out the necessary assessments and whether there have been any similar problems reported which might lead to a product recall.

Problems with installations

Tradesmen who install a service gas appliance must be registered with Gas Safe to carry out that specific activity. Always ask to see their Id and registration before they carry out the work. A genuinely registered tradesman will never mind you asking to see it.

If you have a problem with any Gas Appliance that is due to the way it has been installed then you should contact the Gas Safe Register on 0800 408 5500.

User instructions

It does not matter how safe a product is if it is not used correctly it can become dangerous. Always read the instructions. And make sure anyone who uses the appliance also knows what to do. A popular type of portable gas can explode if the pan support is not up the right way.

Ventilation and CO poisoning

An appliance which burns gas needs a constant supply of fresh air and must not be used in confined spaces with little or no ventilation. The instruction will often say “do not use indoors” or “use outdoors or in well ventilated areas”.

It is surprising that many campers do not consider a tent or awning to be “indoors”. When a small tent is closed up, usually to stay warm, a small gas cooker can use up the oxygen very quickly. This can cause breathing problems and Carbon monoxide (CO) which is very poisonous.